Spathiphyllum plant named ‘Spamei’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Spathiphyllum  plant named ‘Spamei’, characterized by its upright, somewhat outwardly arching and uniform plant habit; freely clumping growth habit; bushy and dense plants; glossy dark green-colored leaves; freely flowering habit; large white-colored spathes that are positioned above and between the foliar plane on strong and erect scapes; flowers that do not produce pollen; and good inflorescence longevity.

Botanical designation: Spathiphyllum Schott.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SPAMEI’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Spathiphyllum plant, botanically known as Spathiphyllum Schott. and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Spamei’.

The new Spathiphyllum plant is a product of a controlled breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Naaldwijk, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new year-round flowering Spathiphyllum plants that have glossy dark green-colored leaves, large white-colored spathes and good postproduction longevity.

The new Spathiphyllum plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in October, 2008 of a proprietary Spathiphyllum selection identified as code number 20051583-02, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary Spathiphyllum selection identified as code number 20071786-33, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Spathiphyllum plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Naaldwijk, The Netherlands in January, 2010.

Asexual reproduction of the new Spathiphyllum plant by tissue culture in a controlled environment in Naaldwijk, The Netherlands since September, 2010 has shown that the unique features of this new Spathiphyllum plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Spathiphyllum have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Spamei’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Spamei’ as a new and distinct Spathiphyllum plant:

-   -   1. Upright, somewhat outwardly arching and uniform plant habit.     -   2. Freely clumping growth habit; bushy and dense plants.     -   3. Glossy dark green-colored leaves.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Large white-colored spathes that are positioned above and         between the foliar plane on strong and erect scapes.     -   6. Flowers that do not produce pollen.     -   7. Good inflorescence longevity.

Plants of the new Spathiphyllum differ from plants of the parent selections in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Spathiphyllum are more upright than plants         of the parent selections.     -   2. Plants of the new Spathiphyllum have darker green-colored         leaves than plants of the parent selections.     -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Spathiphyllum do not produce         pollen whereas flowers of plants of the parent selections         produce pollen.

Plants of the new Spathiphyllum can also be compared to plants of Spathiphyllum spp. ‘Sparanke’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,294. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Naaldwijk, The Netherlands, plants of the new Spathiphyllum differed from plants of ‘Sparanke’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Spathiphyllum were more upright than plants         of ‘Sparanke’.     -   2. Plants of the new Spathiphyllum had darker green-colored         leaves than plants of ‘Sparanke’.     -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Spathiphyllum did not produce         pollen whereas flowers of plants of ‘Sparanke’ produced pollen.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Spathiphyllum plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Spathiphyllum plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘Spamei’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘Spamei’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the spring in 17-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Naaldwijk, The Netherlands. Plants were grown under conditions and practices which approximate those generally used in commercial Spathiphyllum production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from about 19° C. to 24° C., night temperatures ranged from about 19° C. to 22° C. and light levels averaged 5 klux. Plants were 40 weeks old when the photographs and the detailed description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Spathiphyllum Schott. ‘Spamei’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Spathiphyllum Schott. identified as code number 20051583-02,             not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Spathiphyllum Schott. identified as code number 20071786-33,             not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By tissue culture.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About twelve days at             temperatures about 23° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 13 days at             temperatures about 23° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 215 days             at temperatures about 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 240 days             at temperatures about 21° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; white in             color.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately branching, medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright and somewhat outwardly             arching plant habit; overall plant shape, broadly inverted             triangle; moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Clumping habit.—Freely clumping habit, bushy and dense             growth habit; about eight clumps develop per plant.         -   Plant height, from soil level to top of leaf plane.—About             56.3 cm.         -   Plant height, from soil level to top of             inflorescences.—About 77.2 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 71.8 cm.         -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Alternate; simple. Length:             About 27.9 cm. Width: About 12 cm. Shape: Narrowly elliptic             to narrowly ovate. Apex: Narrowly apiculate. Base:             Attenuate. Margin: Entire; slightly undulate. Texture, upper             and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; slightly leathery.             Luster, upper surface: Glossy. Luster, lower surface:             Moderately glossy. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color:             Developing leaves, upper surface: Darker than between N137A             and 147A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to between             138A and 147B. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Darker             and more intense than between N137A and 147A; venation,             darker than 143A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface:             Close to 137B to 137C; venation, close to 144B. Petiole:             Length (including geniculum): About 29.4 cm. Diameter, just             below geniculum: About 3.5 mm. Diameter, at plant base:             About 8 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Luster: Slightly             glossy. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Darker than 143A.             Geniculum length: About 2.7 cm. Geniculum diameter: About             4.5 mm. Geniculum texture: Smooth, glabrous. Geniculum             luster: Slightly glossy. Geniculum color, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 143A to 143B. Wing length: About 25.5 cm.             Wing diameter: About 9 mm. Wing color: Close to 143C. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Inflorescence arrangement and flowering habit.—Slightly             cupped erect spathes with columnar spadices held above and             between the foliar plane on strong and erect scapes;             flowering structures arise from leaf axils; plants begin             flowering about five months after planting; freely and             continuous flowering year-round under greenhouse conditions             in The Netherlands; freely flowering habit, typically about             seven inflorescences develop per plant.         -   Fragrance.—Moderately fragrant; fragrance, sweet and             pleasant.         -   Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences last more than three             weeks on the plant; inflorescences persistent.         -   Spathe.—Length: About 21.5 cm. Width: About 7.1 cm. Depth:             About 2.9 cm. Shape: Ovate to narrowly ovate. Apex:             Apiculate; twisting. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;             slightly leathery. Luster, upper and lower surfaces:             Slightly glossy. Color: When developing, front surface:             Close to 155A; at the apex and main vein, close to 143B.             When developing, rear surface: Close to 155B; at the apex             and main vein, close to 144A. Fully developed, front             surface: Close to NN155B; at the apex, close to 141A; main             vein, close to 143C; with development, color becoming closer             to N144D and 145B. Fully developed, rear surface: Close to             NN155B; at the apex, close to 141B; main vein, close to             143A.         -   Spadix.—Length: About 4.7 cm. Diameter: About 1.3 cm. Shape:             Columnar, tapering towards the apex; apex, obtuse; base,             obtuse; cross-section, rounded. Aspect: Mostly erect. Color,             immature: Between 155A and 160D. Color, mature: Close to             155A and 161D. Flowers: Quantity per spadix: Numerous,             about 90. Shape: Rounded. Height: About 3 mm. Diameter:             About 4 mm. Anther color: Close to 155A. Pollen amount: None             observed. Stigma shape: Ovoid. Stigma color: Close to 155A.             Ovary color: Close to 155A.         -   Scape.—Length: About 62.2 cm. Diameter: About 4.5 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect to about 10° from vertical.             Color: Close to between 143A and 144A.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed on plants of the new Spathiphyllum. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Spathiphyllum have not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens or pests common to     Spathiphyllum plants. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Spathiphyllum have been     observed to be tolerant to temperatures ranging from about 15° C. to     about 36° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Spathiphyllum plant named ‘Spamei’ as illustrated and described. 